The place where we have the right balance of weight, the right balance of pressure. Often, we introduce software or thinking solutions to a business because what they are doing is too hard. It’s not efficient and not only does it use unnecessary money and effort, it demoralises the people and grows a lethargic mindset.
But we also find a significant search for automation. Lots of SaaS services, platforms, apps, systems, etc. promise automation to make your life easier. Make it easier to run your business.
There isn’t anything inherently wrong with automation or making things easier but that’s more often not how you find the Goldilocks position.
Goldilocks didn’t take shortcuts. She tried all the chairs, all the beds, all the porridge.
Automation may be more “efficient” but it’s not always the most effective.
Looking for a tool that will allow you to scan data records quickly to find a common link or a tool that will search for certain types of social media activity may allow you to cover quick ground, but it’s the act of sifting through the data that more often produces the best quality results and the best way to channel the information to better benefit.
More importantly, that process brings insight and learning that the automated process will never deliver. The best way to learn and gain experience. An app that scans non-fiction books and delivers all the salient points in a 15 minute read sounds great. But there is context, nuance and backstory that goes missing. Bad decisions are made when context is missing. The 10% of the iceberg that is visible above the waterline isn’t the iceberg.
We interact with enough “AI” from Facebook and other companies daily to know that their attempts at automating evaluation, critique and applying a verdict is still deeply flawed.
Bum on seat, looking at the information and learning, gaining human insight and experience always beats computer filtering and gives that just right not too soft or too hard, not too hot nor too cold, Goldilocks position.